Inflatable fabric structural element



Dec. 28, 1954 w. J. PHANE 2,693,020

INFLATABLE FABRIC STRUCTURAL ELEMENT Filed June 22, 1951 VENTOR. WALTE PHANE BY ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,698,020 Patented Dec. 28, 1954 INFLATABLE FABRIC STRUCTURAL ELEMENT Walter J. Phane, Akron, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a corporation of Ohio Application June 22, 1951, Serial No. 233,047

9 Claims. (Cl. 135-1) The present invention relates to a novel form of inflatable fabric structural element and the like. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a structural element such, for example, as a beam embodying cooperating fluid chambers or inflatable fabric components which, when fluid inflated, will become quite rigid and serve to provide a highly advantageous form of temporary building construction.

The invention is particularly useful in the construction of temporary shelters which must be dismantled and moved from place to place. The structural element of the invention requires no metal or wood framing to afford the desired rigidity to enable it to withstand normal loads. Structures embodying this principle can be readily erected in the field by inflating with air or gas under a slight pressure. They may be easily dismantled again by deflating the fluid chambers after which the entire unit will be capable of being reduced to a relatively small package for ease in transporting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a form of structure or structural element which requires only fluid inflation to render it rigid.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a form of temporary shelter construction which can be readily dismantled for storage or for moving to another location for subsequent erection on the new site.

Other important objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as a description of preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing proceeds.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 represents an end view of one form of shelter construction in the nature of a Quonset but or the like embodying the structural element of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1 illustrating on a somewhat larger scale one form of construction employing the teachings of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a partial cross section of another form of the invention.

In Fig. l of the drawing, the reference numeral 1 identifies a form of temporary building embodying the structural element 2 of the invention. The structural element 2 comprises an inflatable fabric member 3 which, in this case, serves as the roof portion of the building 1 and one or more stiffener members 4 for supporting the same. In a building 1 where the inflatable fabric member 3 is of substantial span, it is necessary to employ a plurality of the stiffener members 4 arranged in spaced generally parallel relation to each other.

The inflatable member 3 is advantageously constructed in a number of abutting segments, all of which are of the same general design and joined together by means of the junction 5. The inflatable member 3 in each case embodies the woven fabric plies 6 and 7 which are suitably coated with a substantially fluid-impervious coating, such as rubber or the like, and joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads 8 extending between the plies 6 and 7 and which are alternately woven into the plies 6 and 7 respectively. The tie threads 8 are of predetermined length, thereby maintaining the fabric plies 6 and 7 in uniformly spaced generally parallel relation throughout their lengths. In one fabric of this type, the tie thread is woven into one of the plies for a short distance then dropped down to the other ply and woven into that ply a short distance and then back up to the first-mentioned ply so that the tie threads in reality are formed of a relatively long thread that is alternately woven into the two fabric plies to maintain the plies in substantially parallel relation when the tie threads are extended.

The one edge 9 of the inflatable member 3 is sealed by the application of a rubber coated fabric strip 10 and a similarly treated reinforcing strip 11 joining the ends of the fabric plies 6 and 7. The other edge or extremity of the inflatable fabric member 3 is joined to an identical fabric member 3 by means of the previously mentioned junction 5. The junction 5 comprises a fabric element 12 composed of fabric strips 13 and 13 sewn together as at 14. The ends of the strips 13 and 13 are folded backwardly and adhesively secured to the fabric plies 6 and 7 as shown, and the joint thus formed is further reinforced by the top and bottom tapes 15 and 16, respectively.

At least one inflating valve 17 is provided for each segment of the inflatable fabric member 3. The core of the valve 17 is arranged in coaxial relation to openings cut in the fabric plies 6 and 7 and reinforced by the tubularly-shaped fabric sleeve 18, the ends of which are folded backwardly onto the fabric plies adjacent the openings therein and adhesively bonded thereto. A pair of fabric collars 19 and 20 are arranged to be adhesively secured to the backwardly folded flanges of the sleeve 18 and the fabric plies 6 and 7, respectively.

The flange 21 of the valve 17 overlays and is adhesively bonded to the collar 20. A further reinforcement 22 is secured in place over the flange 21 and the margin of the fabric ply 7. The patch 23, which is secured to the collar 19, closes the opening in the fabric ply 6 opposite the valve mounting. A plurality of apertures 24 are provided in the sleeve 18 for directing the fluid under pressure with which the inflatable fabric member 3 is inflated into the chamber 25 formed between the fabric plies 6 and 7 of said member.

In order to provide the desired added strength and rigidity to the inflatable fabric member 3, the spaced stiffener members 4 are secured thereto. The stiffener members 4 comprise the coated fabric plies 26 and 27 and the tie threads 28. Each stiffener member 4 is secured along one of its lateral dimensions to the fabric ply 7 of the inflatable fabric member 3. This joint is formed by folding the ends of the fabric plies 26 and 27 inwardly, as shown, and bonding them to the ply 7. A crotch tape 29, 30 serves to reinforce the union.

The opposite lateral dimension of the stiffener member 4 is closed in the same manner as the left hand end of the inflatable fabric member 3. A fabric strip 31 joins the ends of the fabric plies 26 and 27. The strip-31 is reinforced by means of the strip 32. A valve 33 mounted on the fabric ply 26 in a manner similar to the mounting of the valve 17, previously described, serves to admit fluid under pressure to the chamber 34 of the stiffener member 4.

As a further reinforcement for the inflatable fabric member 3 and to maintain the stiffener members 4 upright or normal to the plane of the fabric ply 7 to which it is secured, there is provided a retaining means or stabilizer 35 of woven cable construction. One end of the stabilizer 35 is attached to a ring 36 which is anchored in place on the fabric ply 7 by means of the fabric loop 37 which is secured in place on the fabric ply 7 and covered by the reinforcing patch 38. The stabilizer 35 is secured to the free ends of the several stiffener members 4 as by means of a saddle reinforcement tape 39 which allows some freedom of longitudinal movement of the stabilizer, but securely attaches it to the several stilfeners.

An anchor similar to the ring 36, loop 37, and patch 38 for the opposite end of the stabilizer 35 is not shown. As will be apparent from Fig. 1, a number of the stabilizers 35 are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the several stiffener members 4 to afford the desired stability and rigidness to the building 1. The several stabilizers 35 are arranged in spaced mutually parallel relation and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the building 1.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, an alternative structure in the form of a simple beam 46) may be employed in the fabrication of a building 1. In such event, however, a

series of beams 40 are disposed in mutually parallel relation to each other along the longitudinal axis of the building 1 and serve to support a fabric sheet or wall 41 of rubberized fabric.

In all other respects, the beam 40 and its construction 1s a substantial duplication of the structural element 2. The beam 40 comprises the inflatable fabric member 42, fabric plies 43 and 44 anchored in spaced parallel relation by the several tie threads 45. The lateral edges of the transversely disposed inflatable fabric member 42 are sealed in the same manner as the left hand edge of the fabric member 3 to form the fluid-tight chamber 46. The valve 47, similar to valve 17, provides the means for admitting fluid under pressure to the chamber 46.

The stiffener member 48 is disposed normal to the plane of the fabric ply 44 of the fabric member 42 and, as before, comprises a pair of coated fabric plies 49 and 50 joined by the several tie threads 51. The one edge of the stiffener member 48 is secured to the fabric ply 44 of the inflatable fabric member 42 as shown in Fig. 3 and reinforced by the crotch tapes 52, 553. The opposite edge of the stiffener member 48 is sealed to form the chamber 54 to which fluid under pressure is admitted through the valve 55.

A series of stabilizers 56 are disposed in spaced, generally parallel relation to each other along the stiffener member 48. Each stabilizer 56 is secured to the projecting end portion of the stiffener member 48 by means of a saddle tape and anchored in place with respect to the inflatable fabric member 40 by means of the attachment means 58 and 59. The attachment means 58 and 59 are identical to those employed in anchoring the end of the stabilizer 35 of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An inflatable fabric structural element comprising an inflatable fabric member; and a stiffener member of inflatable construction secured along one of its marginal extremities edgewise with respect to and disposed in substantially perpendicular relation to the inflatable fabric member and spaced from the edges thereof to provide longitudinal stiffness to said fabric member, said inflatable fabric member and said stiffener member embodying a pair of space fabric plies sealed along the edges thereof,

having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together internally thereof by means of a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length Woven into each of the fabric plies.

2. An inflatable fabric structural element comprising an inflatable fabric member in the form of a slab having its edges sealed to enclose a chamber internally thereof; a stiffener member of similar construction having a portion thereof along one of its edges secured to the inflatable fabric member at a position spaced from the edges thereof to provide longitudinal stiffness thereto and being disposed substantially perpendicular thereto, said inflatable fabric member and said stiffener member embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluidimpervious coating thereon and being joined together by means of a plurality of tie threads of uniform length woven into each of the fabric plies; and a stabilizer element attached to the inflatable member and that portion of the stiffener member opposite that secured to the inflatable fabric member.

3. An inflatable fabric structural element comprising an inflatable fabric member embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length woven into each of the fabric plies, said plies being joined and sealed along the edges thereof; and a stiffener member of inflatable construction substantially identical to that of the inflatable fabric member, said stiffener member having a portion thereof adjacent one of its sealed edges secured to one of the fabric plies of the inflatable fabric member and being disposed substantially normal with respect thereto at a position spaced from the edges thereof to provide longitudinal stiffness to the fabric member.

4. An inflatable fabric structural element comprising an inflatable fabric member embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length woven into each of the fabric plies, said plies being joined together and sealed along the edges thereof; a stiffener member of inflatable construction substantially identical to that of the inflatable fabric member, said stiffener member having a portion thereof adjacent one of its sealed edges secured in substantially normal relation to one of the fabric plies of the inflatable fabric member and spaced from the edges thereof to provide longitudinal stiffness thereto; and means retaining the stiffener member in perpendicular relation with respect to the plane of its securement to the inflatable fabric member.

5. An inflatable fabric structural element comprising an inflatable fabric member embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length Woven into each of the plies, said plies being joined together and sealed along the edges thereof; and a plurality of stiffener members of substantially identical construction to that of the inflatable fabric member arranged in spaced, mutually parallel relation to each other and disposed substantially normal to and laterally coextensive with said inflatable fabric member to provide lateral stiffness thereto, said stiffener members depending from and having portions thereof adjacent one of their sealed edges secured to one of the fabric plies of said inflatable fabric member.

6. An inflatable fabric structural element comprising an inflatable fabric member embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length woven into each of the plies, said plies being joined together and sealed along the edges thereof; a plurality of stiffener members of substantially identical construction to that of the inflatable fabric member arranged in spaced, mutually parallel relation to each other and disposed substantially normal to the inflatable fabric member, said stiffener members depending from and having portions thereof adjacent one of their sealed edges secured to one of the fabric plies of said inflatable fabric member; and means attached to the inflatable fabric member and interconnecting the depending portions of the several stiffener members to maintain them in perpendicular relation to the inflatable fabric member.

7. A temporary building construction comprising an inflatable fabric member of substantially continuous length corresponding to the longitudinal dimension of the building; and a plurality of stiffener members each having a portion thereof secured along one of its marginal extremities edgewise with respect to the inflatable fabric member, said stiffener members being arranged in spaced, mutually parallel relation to each other and disposed substantially normal to and laterally coextensive with said inflatable fabric member to provide lateral stiffness thereto, said inflatable fabric member and said stiffener members being of substantially identical construction and embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length woven into each of the fabric plies.

8. A temporary building construction comprising an inflatable fabric member of substantially continuous length corresponding to the longitudinal dimension of the building; a plurality of stiffener members having a portion thereof secured along one of their marginal extremities edgewise with respect to the inflatable fabric member, said stiffener members being arranged in spaced, mutually parallel relation to each other and disposed substantially normal to the inflatable fabric member, said inflatable fabric member and said stiffener members being of substantially identical construction and embodying a pair of spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating thereon and being joined together by a multiplicity of tie threads of uniform length woven into each of the fabric plies; and a stabilizer element attached to the inflatable fabric member and interconnecting the portions of the several stiflener members opposite those portions secured to the inflatable fabric member.

9. A temporary building construction comprising a fabric Wall of substantially continuous length coextensive with the longitudinal dimension of the building; and a plurality of inflatable fabric structural elements disposfid ifn spaced, mutulally parallel rglaion to eacnl}i othglr, References Cited in the file of this patent eac 0 said s'tructura elements em 0 ying ani ata c fabric member, a stifiener member of inflatable construc- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion secured along one of its marginal extremities edge- Number Name Date wise with respect to and disposed in substantially per- 5 468,455 Giessmann Feb. 9, 1892 pendicular relation to the inflatable fabric member and 1,964,818 Hood July 3, 1934 spaced from the edges thereof to provide longitudinal 2,401,252 Klimashesky May 28, 1946 stifingss to dsaiddfabffic membert; said 1inflatable fabritf: 2,411,316 Capita Nov. 19, 1946 mem er an sai sti ener mem er inc uding a pair 0 spaced fabric plies having a fluid-impervious coating 10 FOREIGN PATENTS thereon and being joined together internally by means Number Country Date of a plurality of tie threads of uniform length woven 167,667 Switzerland May 16, 1934 into each of the fabric plies, and a stabilizer element attached to the inflatable fabric member and the portion of the stiffener member opposite that attached to the 15 inflatable fabric member. 

